NOAH IWTV Workrate Report
What Worked
PAS: Low-Ki v. Kotaro Suzuki was a match that we were approaching with fear and dread. Ki is a guy I used to like a lot, my enjoyment of him actually lead to quite a little internet backlash a ways back. However recent Ki hasn't done much for me at all, and Suzuki is just terrible. I seem to remember Ki having a decent match with Jose Maximo in a Jersey J Cup, but that was when the SAT was kind of good, otherwise I don't think he has ever worked anyone this shitty. This was actually fine though, Ki does a bunch of nifty standing switch variations, and doesn't really give Suzuki much. I think Suzuki hit a nice rolling majistral, and didn't hideously blow anything, outside of missing his dive.
TKG: I don't know. Yeah I was dreading this, yeah it was better than I expected. I'm not really sure whether it belongs topside. Better than Akiyama vs. Saito or Takayama vs. Sano from a week or so back. The sections where Suzuki was supposed to have transitioned to offense were pretty messy on both guys parts. Pretty much Ki controlling, as he should to set up the title match. Ki did give Suzuki more offense than Taue gave Yone in the match leading to Taue's title match. I didn't like this as much as Taue v Yone . I did like alot of the different ways that Ki tries to create distance between the two. I keep on reading where people describe Suzuki as having a "Euro style", which doesn't make sense at all. He doesn't work Euro, he works low grade lucharesu, like a Macho Pump trainee.
PAS: Misawa v. KENTA was way damn fun. Misawa works this match less like Jumbo then like Fuchi. He wasn't playing the man, he was playing an old bastard kicking the shit out of a youngster. KENTA was damn fun here too, as he was mocking Misawa and bring stiff nasty offense. I especially liked his fireman's carry dropped into a knee strike, which I am sure will be stolen by 5 guys in the Ted Petty Invitational.
TKG: I dug this more than Kenta's match against Akiyama and Kenta's match against Takayama. The Akiyama match had Kenta coming back too strong. the Takayama match had the ridiculous Kenta German's Takayama spot. Akiyama and Takayama are legit heavyweights while Misawa is a bulked up junior working heavy style. This match made more sense. Phil is right on the Misawa working grumpy old guy, Fuchi style. Maybe more Fugofugo than Fuchi. As Fuchi does the Tenryuish facial sell of how dare you think you can get offense on me. Fugofugo would bump bigger. Misawa sells offense by just collapsing and breathing heavy in the corner. But it was closer to Fugofugo/Fuchi than Tenryu/Jumbo. I dug this a ton.
TKG: Only two matches and I love the Darkness Agents. The match begins with Scorpio and Ogawa disposing of the useless Inoue and working a bunch of Fabs type quick face double teams on the POWERHOUSE Saito. I realize that the new thing in Puroresu is to try to get the young girl audience...but lets be honestly Scorpio and Ogawa may be the ugliest blowjob team in the history of Ugly face Fabs. Ogawa isn't even Mike Davis handsome. But they work that style remarkably well as the two need to double team to get Nikita off his feet.
PAS: NOAH has this weird thing where guys who have been useless for years become really great, Honda goes from awful to Top 20 in the world, IZU goes from lesser tag partner to Kamala, to one of the guys I most enjoy watching. Inoue still sucks, but he has really found a way to make his suckiness entertain me. Dark Agents work like Crockett era Luger/J.J. Dillon tag matches. Saito is the worlds best Luger as he just destroys everyone, for a guy who has always played the lesser tag partner he is great as the main guy. Inoue is really great in the Dillon role of crappy guy who tags in and does cheap bullshit heelish moves. He is really good as a useless pussy. This was a super fun brawl with Saito just destroying Scorpio, including dropping him face first to the floor after a hanging verticle suplex, and DDT'ing him on the ramp. Then Inoue would tag in and slap on a chinlock and make taunting facial expressions to the corner. Finish is pretty neat as Scorp gets fed up and punches the ref, Dark Agents then attack and triple team Ogawa untill Misawa diffidently runs in from the back. Misawa wastes Inoue, but Saito mists him and drills him with an enziguri, which leads to this really awesome three count by Inoue playing ref, where he raises his arms in a "were number #1" stance. Man you just want to kick him in the eye, all he needs are a pair of glasses to clean.
What Didn't Work
TKG: Low-Ki has a nice suit. People on the board were convinced it was same one that he wore at Super 8 but that was double breasted. This one had large buttons down the front like something Bruce Bruce would wear. But you don't watch Low-Ki promos for the suits. You watch it so you can drink whenever he says his catchphrase. And he doesn't say it. WTF??
PAS: Main event six man was the definition of listless NOAH six-man. This was a parejas with mixed up teams (Kobashi/Sano/Kanemaru v. Akyama/Kikuchi/Rikio) so it really didn't have the heat the faction trios have. They open with Kobashi wasting Kikuchi, including bruising his chest bad enough that some douche on our board would ask for his MRI (which actually would be pretty grim). They then do some listless crowd brawling, which segues into some comedy spots, and then a 2.9 finish section. The work was fine but the whole thing felt like they were killing some time.
TKG: Yeah I like some NOAH six man fake ECW brawls, but those really need Scorpio and Ikeda. But this was just wandering around listless, heatless. And why are you brawling in a parejas match anyway? No reason for brawling. No reason for brawling to have any heat. Why isn't Taue in this match to heat up that match? I've seen a couple parejas increibles matches where Kobashi is on team opposite Kikuchi and Kobashi treats Kikuchi less respectfully than Akiyama treats Hashi. At least there's a story behind those Akiyama beats on Hashi sections--with Akiyama trying to toughen up Hashi and eventually selling for Hashi. Kobashi no selling for Kikuchi is meaningless and does nothing for anyone. Just shitty. After this twenty odd minute match Taue runs in to attack Kobashi who should be weakened by working the match. Taue comes in at end hits three I AM TAUES, Kobashi pops up and takes Taue out with clothesline. Taue needs to be helped to the back. Kobashi sends his seconds away so that he can stand up and walk away on his own. This is supposed to make Taue look like a credible challenger?